BONSALL: State recommends pursuing school district's expansion plan

A California Department of Education analysis of Bonsall Union
School District's proposal to expand into a unified district has
recommended pursuing studies of the plan if it is endorsed by state
trustees.

Bonsall Superintendent Justin Cunningham said Tuesday he was
surprised the staff report was in the district's favor because he
expected the state might balk at having to pay for environmental
studies ---- which could range from $50,000 to $400,000 ---- needed
to pursue the proposal.

Cunningham said he plans to be at the July 14 meeting in
Sacramento and will speak to the state Board of Education if asked
to supply additional information.

Bonsall parents who had said they were unhappy with the quality
of education at Fallbrook High School have pushed for unification,
which would create a new high school in their district.

The 88-square-mile district has two elementary schools, one
middle school and one charter school and serves about 1,800
students from Bonsall, Pala and parts of Fallbrook and
Oceanside.

Bonsall trustees voted in October 2007 to support expanding to a
unified district, but the plan also needs support from the county,
the state and local voters.

The county Board of Education voted to support the expansion
plan in 2007. The next step is with the state, but a backlog of
work created a three-year wait for the item to be placed on the
state Board of Education's agenda.

Cunningham said last month that he was not confident the state
Department of Education staff members would support the expansion
plan at a time when some smaller districts are consolidating to
save money.

The staff report, released last Friday, does not specifically
recommend approval but does recommend the state Board of Education
consider the expansion and continue with environmental studies if
trustees support the idea.

Cunningham said building a high school in Bonsall would be years
away and would require a bond election for funding.

Until then, the district would convert existing buildings to
accommodate higher grades, and environmental studies would be
needed before the work could begin.

The transition into a unified district would be gradual,
introducing one new grade at a time to reduce the impact of the
change on Bonsall and Fallbrook, Cunningham said.

The staff report also stated that Bonsall's plan meets all nine
conditions the state education code requires to create a unified
district. An earlier report by the county found Bonsall met only
seven of the conditions.

Cunningham said he also was encouraged to learn the staff
analyst found that the vote on unification should be held within
the boundaries of the Bonsall district. He earlier had expected the
election boundaries would include the Fallbrook district, but the
staff study found the expansion would have no substantial effects
on voters in that district.